concussion

[delacruz]

my oldest son is now 16 yrs old,he was at football practice on friday the 25th around 7:30 p.m. and was hit in the head from other team mates going for the ball,he was suppossably knocked out for at least 5 min or more,and when he came too no one was around and he didnt even know what had happen to him,he just remebers gettting up from off the ground,when my father went to pick him up from school he told me that my son was looking sorta gazed at him complaining that his head hurts bad and that he couldnt see good,now at the school function there was no adults around at no part of the practice,my father took my son to the nearest hospital and it took them like 1 hr to get my son in the back because the nurse said it didnt seem to be a big deal due to the type of insurace i had,that shouldnt matter at all,and im dealing with that as we speak,any way the did a few questions then released my son,as soon as we walked out of the hospital my son starting throwing up again and complaining his vision is weird,we went back into the hospital and they said take him home and let him get some sleep he is probally exhausted,so we left and took him to a different hospital an hour away and they did some test on my son and told us he has a possible concussion,told us to keep and eye out for him over the next few days and if it continued to bring him back and they would do a (m r i) on him,and no activity for the next two weeks,the deal is how long will this last and what can i do to make him feel better and to help him remeber what might of happened to him?at this point in time he just sits in his room scared because he doesnt know what is going to happen next,at times he is scared to go to sleep,he has been staying up late each and every nite since this has happened,and he doesnt know how he  lost things that was personal to him,some one told me that a boy from practice  took his phone,money out of my sons pants as he was knocked on concussion.please help me help him

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hi,

A possibility of Extra Dural Haemorrhage can’t be ruled out in the case of your son.

EDH is a collection of blood which occurs below the skull but above the thick leathery cover of the brain itself known as the Dura. This area of the brain is basically fluid and is a shock absorber for the brain. However, there are veins that feed and drain the brain which move through this area and when they are torn an epidural bleed can occur. These patients are often ones who have symptoms including a “lucid interval” which means they are struck in the head and have a short period of initial unconsciousness, wake up and seem better then seem to deteriorate. This is because of the gradual accumulation of blood in this area which presses on the brain over time.

Subdural Hematoma is another possibility but less likely.

SDH is diagnosed when there is a collection of blood inside the skull, but also inside the covering of the brain called the Dura. The collection is therefore between the dura and the outer most brain tissue itself. The source of the bleed can be from damage to the brain itself (a focal lesion or tear of tissues), damage to a vein or damage to delicate tissue inside the dura. Between 10% and 30% of patients admitted with severe TBI suffer from SDH. They can be caused by motor vehicle accident, falls and assaults. However, they are more common with an older patient resulting from a fall.

I think a CT scan of head will definitely help in ruling out such sinister problems which can happen after a traumatic brain injury.

Please also get a neurosurgeon opinion for the same.

http://www.braininjury.com/epidural-subdural-hematoma.html

Pl keep me posted.

Kind Rgds,

[delacruz]

thank you for your help,but the hospital did an CTscan and it should a small bump on the inside of  his forehead but there not sure if it is from this action that happened of friday the 25th of this month or from the action that happened two months ago,they said there not for sure,they sent him home anyways and told us to keep an eye out for him on the next few days and if he continues to have headaches then they might do a MRI,but as soon as we left the hospital he started vomitting again and we took him to a new doc and they said the same they couldnt find anything besides the knot and kepted him over night and told us to go back on friday the 2nd of august for a recheck,my son still doesnt remeber anything that happened on fri the 25-sun the 27,he is still having some headaches but not as much and can remember some of the hospital on sunday nite,so that is good he is doing some better but there still should be more they can do,i dont understand why the scan isnt showing anything when he still couldnt answer the questions they had for him at the hospital so what does it sound like to you?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

How are you?
Most likely it looks to be a case of subdural haematoma. Unlike in epidural hematomas, which are usually caused by tears in arteries, subdural bleeding usually results from tears in veins that cross the subdural space.

Symptoms of subdural hemorrhage have a slower onset than those of epidural hemorrhages because the lower pressure veins bleed more slowly than arteries. Thus, signs and symptoms may show up within 24 hours but can be delayed as much as 2 weeks

Most of the time, subdural hematomas occur around the tops and sides of the frontal and parietal lobes Chronic subdural bleeds develop over the period of days to weeks, often after minor head trauma The bleeding from a chronic bleed is slow, probably from repeated minor bleeds, and usually stops by itself.

Pls consult a neurosurgeon as he can only make a confirmatory diagnosis.

Take care and God bless.

[delacruz]

again thanks for the respondes,i went up this weekend to visit with my son and talk to his doctor and he seems to be doing better then before he still dont remember the last four days after the accident like from friday -monday (26-29) but he still has headaches and there bad he complains i have an appointment for him today at 2:30 pm thanks again and ill keep you posted

[KAZUAL]

HELLO. I SUFFERED A MINOR TBI/CONCUSSION MYSELF. THE HEADACHES HE IS EXPERIENCING ARE PAINFULL, TRUST ME. MY INJURY HAPPENED ON 3-2-2006 AND I HAVE HAD SOME LEVEL OF PAIN, MODERATE TO SEVERE, EVERY DAY SINCE. I AM CURRENTLY ON OXYCODONE 30 MG AND A ARRAY OF OTHER MEDS TO EITHER HELP PREVENT OR KILL THE PAIN OF THESE HEADACHES. THE ER DOCTOR I HAD ON THE DAY OF THE INJURY TOLD ME I WOULD BE FINE IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. MY INJURY HAPPENED AT WORK AND IN PART, I AM FORTUNATE FOR THAT. HERE IT IS, 2 1/2 YEARS LATER, I AM DIVORCING MY WIFE, HAVE NOT WORKED IN OVER 1 1/2 YEARS (I TRIED TO WORK A LITTLE) AND I AM COLLECTING A PERCENTAGE OF MY SSDI BENEFITS. KEEP PUSHING THE DOCTORS TO DO THE MRI. MINE IS NEGATIVE BUT MY ISSUES ARE THERE. THEY DID ONE SET OF BOTOX INJECTIONS AND THEY WERE AFRAID OF BREAKING THE NEEDLE IN MY NECK. THAT IS HOW TENSED UP MY MUSCLES HAVE BECOME FROM THE PAIN I FEEL. I DO STRETCH MY KNECK MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY TO RELAX MY BODY. IF HE HAS ANYTHING MAJOR, IT WILL SHOW ON THE MRI'S. THE LEVEL OF DAMAGE THAT I HAVE CAN'T BE SEEN BY MRI. JUST DON'T GIVE UP ON HIM. THAT CAN HURT AS MUCH AS THE PAIN ITSELF.